The business model in Japan is distinct. Large talent agencies (like Johnny & Associates, now SMILE-UP., and STARTO ENTERTAINMENT) hold immense power. They often act as "agencies" but function more like schools or families.
To the outsider, Japanese television is an alien planet. It is a curious mix of high-budget historical epics ( Taiga dramas ) and low-budget, chaotic variety shows featuring comedians eating spicy food or trying not to laugh. The business model in Japan is distinct
The business model is brutal. Thousands of girls compete for 48 slots in groups like AKB48 . They perform daily in the same theater, often for free. Revenue comes not from album sales, but from “handshake events”—fans buy a CD for $16, which includes a ticket to shake a specific idol’s hand for four seconds. A superfan might spend $5,000 in a single day to shake the same hand forty times. To the outsider, Japanese television is an alien planet